Machine for treating workpieces at elevated pressures, especially a high-pressure press

ABSTRACT

A machine for treating, especially pressing, workpieces at elevated pressures has a power-driven fly-wheel which over internal excenters or cam curves actuate a tool of the machine. Interposed between the excenter means and the tools are wedges which when displaced in a radial direction with respect to the wheel convert that displacement into one parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel. That axial movement in turn actuates the tool.

United States Adolfsson Nov. 4, 1975 MACHINE FOR TREATING WORKPIECES 3,127,786 4/1964 Wooley 74/527 AT ELEVATE PRESSURES, ESPECIALLY 3,589,278 6/1971 Braner 72/454 A HIGH PRESSURE PRESS 3,724,311 4/1973 Stre1ch 100/292 [75] Inventor: Rune G. Adolfsson, Boras, Sweden Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott [73] Asslgnee' AB Cal-b0," Ystad Sweden Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr. [22] Filed: Feb. 27, 1974 Attorney, Agent, or FirmFlynn & Frishauf [21] Appl. No.: 446,278

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABS CT June 7, Sweden A machine for treating especially pressing workpieces at elevated pressures has a power-driven fly- U-S. heel ver internal excenter or cam curves ac- [51] Int. Cl. F16H 21/16 mate a tool f the machine Intel-posed between the [58] Field of Search 72/455, 454; 100/292; excenter means and the tools are Wedges which When 83/590; 74/891 126, 110; displaced in a radial direction with respect to the 192/93 A; 188/187 wheel convert that displacement into one parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel. That axial movement References Clted in turn actuates the tool.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,946,229 7/1960 Metcalf 74/89.l 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures us. Patent Nov.4,1975 3,916,700

HIIIIIIIEIIIHl/I/II/ Mini um! 1 MACHINE FOR TREATING WORKPIECES A'T ELEVATED PRESSURES, ESPECIALLY A HIGH-PRESSURE PRESS In machines for deforming metallic workpiecesby subjecting them to the impact of a tool, especially forging machines but'also presses and bending machines, it is desirable to combine short contact periods'between the tool and the workpiece with a high precision in the stroke of the tool and, sometimes, also with a high repetition frequency.

The first one of the above two requirements, the demand for a short contact time, stems from the necessity of, on the one hand protecting the tool against a considerable temperature rise and, on the other, preventing such a great loss of heat from the workpiece that its capacity to be subjected to the deformation in question is reduced to an unacceptable level. In certain applications the prevailing circumstances call for a great number of strokes during a short time period.

When the machine operates with heavy workpieces which are to be deformed to a considerable extent a further requirement is added. In consequence of'the higher values of contact area, deformation in the sense of stroke, and contact pressure in combination with a short contact period, the machine must be capable of yielding a very high output power.

In copending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 390,173, filed Aug. 20, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,285 issued Apr. 15,1975, assigned to the same Assignee as the present application, and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, a machine is disclosed in which the demands and requirements above referred to, have been satisfied substantially without the limitations and disadvantages characteristic of the two main types of prior art corresponding machines, namely excenter presses and hydraulic presses. The principal characteristic of a machine designed according to said application Ser. No. 390,173 is that it comprises a power-driven, large mass, annular flywheel supported at its periphery only and provided at the inner side of the wheel rim with excenters, cam curves or similar guiding means which, over forcemultiplying means, actuate the movable tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal characteristic of the present invention is that the force-multiplying means in such a machine comprises wedges, which are displaceable in the radial direction of the fly-wheel and arranged to generate a tool-actuating force directed parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a part-sectional, vertical view of the machine; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the central portion of the machine, taken in a sectional plane rotated by 90 relative to the corresponding plane in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS The machine shown on the drawing, a high-pressure press, has a base 1 secured in an immersed position in a concrete floor. The base supports the machine frame proper which comprises a lower yoke 2, two columns 3 and 4, and an upper yoke 5. This frame is in its entirety surrounded by a reinforcing frame 6 comprising wires or tapes 7 biased under tension. The location of those biasing means is apparent from the broken away portion at the top of FIG. 1.

The machine is intended by a pressing operation to deform a workpiece (not shown in the drawing) positioned between a stationary and a mobile tool. The stationary tool can be constituted either by the bottom surface of yoke 5 or, which is generally the case, by a die or the like secured thereto. The mobile tool in this case comprises a press piston 8. The latter is guided by a heavy ring 9 mounted at the top of a generally parallel epipedic box 10. Between the floor of box 10 and the bottom surface of piston 8 there are arranged two wedges 32 and 33, which over slide shoes 24, 26 and coupling means 31 may be forced radially inwards with respect to the longitudinal axis of piston 8 under the influence of guide rails 22 and 23, arranged in the inner wall of an annular fly-wheel 21. At the top of the flywheel there is a gear ring 30 for cooperation with drive means, including pinions or tooth-wheels. Those components can be conventional and have accordingly not been shown on the drawing. By means of a control mechanism, likewise not shown, means 31 can be displaced into and out from their active positions, in which latter case wedges 32, 33 are disengaged and not actuated upon the fly-wheel irrespectively of whether its rotational movement is interrupted or not. The radially outwards directed movement of the wedges is effected by the gravity force exerted by the heavy piston 8 resting on top of them. It is generally suitable to arrange special stop means limiting said outward movement of the wedges, as this function cannot be performed by means 31 when they are in their disengaged position.

It should be observed that a device as above described can be combined with one or more devices arranged according to the teaching of said application Ser. No. 390,173. Also, the machine may comprise wedges which are hydraulically controlled, the related hydraulic cylinders acting between the wedges and a stationary annular frame suitably provided with a tension-biased winding absorbing the reactional forces. Such a mechanism can also be used for the purpose of adjusting the free working space of the press to match it to workpieces of different heights. Accordingly, in such a case the mechanism is passive during the working operation proper of the press.

I claim:

1. A machine for treating workpieces at elevated pressures, comprising:

at least one stationary tool;

at least one tool (8) which is movable in relation to said stationary tool;

a power-driven high mass annular fly-wheel (21) having control means (22, 23) for actuating the at least one movable tool (8); and

force-multiplying means comprising at least two wedges (32, 33) having mutually cooperative inclined surfaces coupling said control means to said movable tool and arranged such that said control means imparts a radial movement to said wedges relative to said fly-wheel to generate a force parallel to the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) and driving said movable tool (8).

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, including means (31) for disengaging the at least one movable tool from the fly-wheel (21).

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) is vertical.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means (22, 23) of said fly-wheel (21) includes internal cam curve control means (22, 23) coupled to and actuating said wedges (32, 33) of said forcemultiplying means.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cam curve means (22, 23) are circular.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said force-multiplying means includes slide shoes (26, 24) coupling said cam curve means (22, 23) to said wedges (32, 33). i

7. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said force-multiplying means further includes coupling means (31) for selectively engaging and disengaging said wedges (32, 33) with said cam curve means 22, 23

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coupling means (31) is interposed between said wedges (32, 33) and said slide shoes (26, 24).

9. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means of said fly-wheel (21) includes internal cam curves (22, 23) each of which is circular but excentrically located both in relation to the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) and to the centers of the other cam curves so that, in the active positions of the wedges, the fly-wheel is subjected to symmetric loads.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one movable tool is driven to and away from said stationary tool so as to press a workpiece therebetween. 

1. A machine for treating workpieces at elevated pressures, comprising: at least one stationary tool; at least one tool (8) which is movable in relation to said stationary tool; a power-driven high mass annular fly-wheel (21) having control means (22, 23) for actuating the at least one movable tool (8); and force-multiplying means comprising at least two wedges (32, 33) having mutually cooperative inclined surfaces coupling said control means to said movable tool and arranged such that said control means imparts a radial movement to said wedges relative to said fly-wheel to generate a force parallel to the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) and driving said movable tool (8).
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, including means (31) for disengaging the at least one movable tool from the fly-wheel (21).
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) is vertical.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means (22, 23) of said fly-wheel (21) includes internal cam curve control means (22, 23) coupled to and actuating said wedges (32, 33) of said force-multiplying means.
 5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cam curve means (22, 23) are circular.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said force-multiplying means includes slide shoes (26, 24) coupling said cam curve means (22, 23) to said wedges (32, 33).
 7. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said force-multiplying means further includes coupling means (31) for selectively engaging and disengaging said wedges (32, 33) with said cam curve means (22, 23).
 8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coupling means (31) is interposed between said wedges (32, 33) and said slide shoes (26, 24).
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means of said fly-wheel (21) includes internal cam curves (22, 23) each of which is circular but excentrically located both in relation to the rotational axis of the fly-wheel (21) and to the centers of the other cam curves so that, in the active positions of the wedges, the fly-wheel is subjected to symmetric loads.
 10. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one movable tool is driven to and away from said stationary tool so as to press a workpiece therebetween. 